Lancman Calls For Next Queens DA To Root Out Corruption in Private Carting Industry
City Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Kew Gardens Hills, Pomonok, Electchester, Fresh Meadows, Hillcrest, Jamaica Estates, Briarwood, Parkway Village, Jamaica Hills, Jamaica), a candidate for Queens District Attorney, will join City Councilman Antonio Reynoso (D-Brooklyn) and Teamsters Local 813 to call out what the next District Attorney must do to eradicate sham unions in the private carting industry and the labor violations they subject workers to.
For years, Lancman and Reynoso along with unions, sanitation workers, and community organizations have been working to expose the corrupt practices that run rampant in the private carting industry.
ProPublica has published reports detailing unsafe working conditions, unions that did the employers’ bidding, workers paid off the books and two deaths tied to a driver from a private carting company.
Earlier this year the FBI and New York City regulators raided the offices of one of the city’s large trash haulers. The legislation was passed in the City Council this year to protect workers in the industry and gave the Business Integrity Council oversight into the private carting industry.
The call to action is slated for 12 noon, today, May 14 at the Teamsters Local 813 office, 48-18 Van Dam Street, Suite 201, in Long Island City.
Vallone Cuts Ribbon on New College Point Field
City Council Member Paul Vallone (D- Alley Pond Park, Bay Terrace, Bayside, College Point, Douglaston, East Elmhurst, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Little Neck and Whitestone) last weekend cut the ribbon on Phase 1 of the Shannon Gaels Athletic Field portion of Frank Golden Park.
The renovation comes through a $500,000 allocation through Vallone’s office. Phase 1 consisted of a complete renovation of the field located between 133 Place and 135 Street. Phase 2 of the project will involve a renovation of the field immediately to the west and is slated for an anticipated groundbreaking later this year.
“It was a great afternoon at Frank Golden Park cutting the ribbon on the brand new Shannon Gaels Athletic Field,” said Vallone. “I’m proud to have allocated funding towards this project, which will be enjoyed by the Shannon Gaels GAA and the Queens community for generations to come.”
Gianaris Presents Resolution Recognizing Young Womens “Hack League” Victory
State Sen. and Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside and parts of Woodside, Maspeth, Ridgewood, Woodhaven) recently recognized middle school students from the Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria with a resolution honoring their victory in the citywide Hack League.
Students from all district middle and high schools were invited to participate in this year’s Hack League, a program that is part of the Computer Science for All initiative and in partnership with BetaNYC, through which students use computer science concepts and open data from their school neighborhoods to solve problems impacting their communities.
Approximately 1,700 students across all five boroughs participated in the league. In order to make it to the final, teams had to win their school-based competition, followed by a borough-wide competition.
“Congratulations to these remarkable students who will be the next generation of STEAM leaders in our city,” said Gianaris. “I am proud to honor these young women for their achievement a Senate resolution and I look forward to their continued success.”
Miller To Present Participatory Budgeting Winners
City Council Member Member I. Daneek Miller (D-Cambria Heights, Hollis, Jamaica, St. Albans, Queens Village, and Springfield Gardens) tomorrow will announce what projects in his district will get funded through the recent participatory budgeting vote.
Participatory budgeting is a process of democratic deliberation and decision-making, in which ordinary people decide how to allocate part of a municipal or public budget.
The announcement is slated for 10:30 a.m., tomorrow, May 15 at the Queens Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, in Jamaica.
Koo, NY Mets Tp Recognize 10th Annual “Readers Are Leaders” Challenge Winners
City Council Member Peter Koo (D-Bayside, College Point, Flushing, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Fresh Meadows, Whitestone) and the New York Mets next week will host an award ceremony for the winners of his 10th annual “Readers are Leaders” challenge at Citi Field.
Koo, in partnership with the Mets, issued a reading challenge to third graders in his district. Students were asked to read and submit a book report describing what they learned from their reading experience. One child from each school was selected as a winner for submitting the most creative and well-written report.
All participants will receive a NYC Council Certificate of Recognition, a $50 Amazon gift card, tickets to a New York Mets game, and their reports will be proudly displayed at Koo’s district office in Flushing. On Monday, Koo and representatives from the Mets will participate in an award ceremony with the winning participants prior to the Mets game vs. the Washington Nationals.
The event is slated for 6:15 p.m., Monday, May 20 City Field Press Conference Room, Citi Field, 123-01 Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
